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World's first 3D printed building could land in 2014

Something tells us we're going to need something a little bigger than a MakerBot to accomplish this goal

21 January 2013/10:08GMT

A Dutch architect with big dreams hopes to make history creating the world's first 3D printed building by 2014.

Janjaap Ruijssenaars' design is inspired by the single surface folds of the Möbius band where floors become ceilings and ceilings become floors. Sounds trippy.

The actual building itself will be constructed from 6x9 metre fragments which will be printed by Italian inventor Enrico Dini's D-Shape 3D printer, which uses thin layers of sand and an inorganic binder to build up the pieces.

As the pieces are printed and joined, the contours of the building will then be filled with fiber reinforced concrete to ensure it won't collapse in on itself.

The whole process is expected to take around 18 months, with the finish line set for 2014. 3D- printed Death Stars, here we come.